Favorite long jazz tracks

[RayB]

Not sure if each of the four sides of this qualify:

a) Generally thought of and marketed as rock though there's plenty of jazz within.

b) Each piece plays continuously but is made up of clear episodes (which got constantly detached and reassembled in performance elsewhere).

But as pieces of improvised music you could completely lose yourself in for 20 minutes at a time, they've worked for me since late-72.

This album has been like an old friend. I bought it in the first week after it's release and have loved it ever since. I have bought it four times in all in it's various formats and I think I may go and play it again now.

Edited February 9, 2013 by RayB

[A Lark Ascending]

Not sure if each of the four sides of this qualify:

a) Generally thought of and marketed as rock though there's plenty of jazz within.

b) Each piece plays continuously but is made up of clear episodes (which got constantly detached and reassembled in performance elsewhere).

But as pieces of improvised music you could completely lose yourself in for 20 minutes at a time, they've worked for me since late-72.

This album has been like an old friend. I bought it in the first week after it's release and have loved it ever since. I have bought it four times in all in it's various formats and I think I may go and play it again now.

The only sad thing is that the various CD reissues have never been able to completely de-muddy it.

One hope is that the Porcupine Tree chap, Steven Wilson, has said he'd like to have a crack at it. Given his success with other music of the era there's a chance he might just pull it off. Let's hope he gets the go ahead.

An album that really does deserve the label 'classic'.

Edited February 9, 2013 by A Lark Ascending

[ATR]

On another topic, as far as avant-garde/energy players go, it is interesting to ask how many really stay interesting for the 20+ minutes, which most of them seem to regard as little more than a warm-up and do as a matter of routine. Which tracks in those sort of post-Coltrane idioms strike people as compelling from beginning to end?

Is Jimmy Lyons considered post-Coltrane? He could play forever, but he didn't record that much and tended to keep it shorter in the studio. Interesting, however, is in the ear of the behearer.

[Stefan Wood]

Any track from this fine album:

Also, Donald Byrd's "The Little Rasti" from Ethiopian Knights

Edited February 9, 2013 by Stefan Wood

[Guy Berger]

Not sure if each of the four sides of this qualify:

a) Generally thought of and marketed as rock though there's plenty of jazz within.

b) Each piece plays continuously but is made up of clear episodes (which got constantly detached and reassembled in performance elsewhere).

But as pieces of improvised music you could completely lose yourself in for 20 minutes at a time, they've worked for me since late-72.

Yes! Without getting into the "is this jazz" debate, I'll just say that if this album is excluded, so is a lot of other stuff that most people put under that label.

Bev spurred my mind to mention a few others:

"Desireless" on Jan Garbarek's Witchi Tai To

"Sangria for Three" on Tony Williams's Emergency

"Night Poem", Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath

and already mentioned, but why not another time: Grant Green's "Idle Moments"

[clifford_thornton]

Cecil: "The Second Act of A" covers 2 1/2 LPs (plus an encore) and "One Too Many Salty Swift and Not Goodbye" covers three full LPs.

When were talking about studio recordings I'd say:

John Coltrane's Ascension: 40 minutes

Pharoah Sanders - Black Unity 37 minutes

Archie Shepp - Black Gipsy 23 minutes

Part II Obsession: Gato Barbieri 20 minutes

Agreed, those are all wonderful. "If I picked a man's pocket and bought you flowers, would that make me a thief?" Priceless Chicago Beauchamp.

[robertoart]

David's Tune and All The Things You Are from David Murray's album Children.

A great rhythm section for Blood Ulmer and Don Pullen to guest with.

Back in the day, the only way I got to hear the Ulmer track, was by subscribing to my local Public Radio Broadcaster.

When I accosted the guy who used to import Black Saint into Australia, and asked him why I couldn't find any copies of this LP, he said he didn't really like David Murray, so didn't bother bringing any copies of this album into the country, accept the 1 copy he had himself

He then said he would play it on the radio for me if I subscribed (which I did). When he back announced the track, I think he was a bit embarrassed about playing it, and said to the audience he thought the track 'went on a bit too long' , and that it was a request from, 'a new subscriber' .

I also received a free Boots Mussulli album for subscribing , and he made a cassette copy of the entire Children album for me.

Nice man he was.

[Steve Reynolds]

not counting free improvisations, here are some good ones over 20 minutes long:

Horace Tapscott with John Carter, Cecil McBee and Andrew Cyrille: The Dark Tree - version on volume 1

Jimmy Lyons: Jump Up - with John Lindberg and Sunny Murray, nothing on this recording gets long or boring - all 3 play as great as they ever did on this recording

Gerry Hemingway Quartet: Toombow - with Ellery Eskelin, Robin Eubanks and Mark Dresser - longer than the Quintet version with the European Quintet - but this is one of the great Hemingway compositions - both versions are equally great

Edited February 12, 2013 by Steve Reynolds

[ATR]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

[spangalang]

My all-time favorite long track:

Dexter Gordon - Tanya (from One Flight Up). 18 minutes.

THIS.

[JSngry]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

I remember playing that track for a few people at random back in the day, just somebody would be hanging out, not "jazz people" or anything, just folks, and not everybody would dig it. But some of the ones that did would get up and start hollering and screaming the deeper into it that Trane & Elvin got, I mean, involuntary reactions and shit, like in church or something. My first reaction was not quite so outwardly demonstrative, but yeah, I was gripped, to put it mildly. Still am.

Ultimately, that's the kind of music I like best, the kind where "liking" it or not is not an option you have. It just takes you over. BAM. Figure it out later, if ever. Hell yeah.

[clifford_thornton]

[Afric Pepperbird]

Globe Unity Orchestra - Globe Unity 2002 (1:14:05)

Globe Unity Orchestra - 20th Anniversary (1:06:42)

(I hope these two count!)

[danasgoodstuff]

Sonny R, Freedom Suite

AEC, People In Sorrow

Miles, He Loved Him Madly

Kenny Dorham, Una Mas

Allman Brothers, Mt. Jam (breaks all the rules, too bad)

[Cali]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

I remember playing that track for a few people at random back in the day, just somebody would be hanging out, not "jazz people" or anything, just folks, and not everybody would dig it. But some of the ones that did would get up and start hollering and screaming the deeper into it that Trane & Elvin got, I mean, involuntary reactions and shit, like in church or something. My first reaction was not quite so outwardly demonstrative, but yeah, I was gripped, to put it mildly. Still am.

Ultimately, that's the kind of music I like best, the kind where "liking" it or not is not an option you have. It just takes you over. BAM. Figure it out later, if ever. Hell yeah.

When I read your post I was reminded of catching Coltrane's quartet at Shelly's Manne-Hole in L.A. around 1965. People got so lost in the music that they were emitting primal screams and shouts. Those small cocktail tables were being knocked over, glasses were breaking, it was pandemonium. It was like a vortex in the room. I have never experienced anything like that, before or since.

When I walked out after the set, a buddy of mine was waiting in line to go in for the next set. He asked me, "what the hell was going on in there?" I could only say, "you'll find out".

[Cali]

Back on topic, although most of these have been mentioned by others, here are some of my favorites:

Keith Jarrett - God Bless The Child, from Standards, Vol. 1

Jimmy Smith - The Sermon

Dex - Tanya, from One Flight Up

Pharoah Sanders - The Creator Has A Master Plan, from Kharma

Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord, from Deaf Dumb Blind

Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, from Tauhid

Lee Morgan - Search For The New Land

Miles - In A Silent Way

I must break the "live" rule for these:

Eric Dolphy - Aggression, At The Five Spot, Vol. 2

Jimmy Smith - Night In Tunisia, Cool Blues

John Handy - Spanish Lady, Monterey Jazz Festival

Charles Lloyd - Forest Flower, Monterey Jazz Festival

John Coltrane - Impressions, Impressions

My Favorite Things, Coltrane At Newport '63

Edited February 20, 2013 by Cali

[Gheorghe]

Max Roach "Scott Free" (composed by Cecil Bridgewater) on the album with the same title from 1984

Max Roach "Call of Wild/Peaceful Heart (composed by Billy Harper) on the album "Max Roach in Amsterdam 1977".

[robertoart]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

I remember playing that track for a few people at random back in the day, just somebody would be hanging out, not "jazz people" or anything, just folks, and not everybody would dig it. But some of the ones that did would get up and start hollering and screaming the deeper into it that Trane & Elvin got, I mean, involuntary reactions and shit, like in church or something. My first reaction was not quite so outwardly demonstrative, but yeah, I was gripped, to put it mildly. Still am.

Ultimately, that's the kind of music I like best, the kind where "liking" it or not is not an option you have. It just takes you over. BAM. Figure it out later, if ever. Hell yeah.

When I read your post I was reminded of catching Coltrane's quartet at Shelly's Manne-Hole in L.A. around 1965. People got so lost in the music that they were emitting primal screams and shouts. Those small cocktail tables were being knocked over, glasses were breaking, it was pandemonium. It was like a vortex in the room. I have never experienced anything like that, before or since.

When I walked out after the set, a buddy of mine was waiting in line to go in for the next set. He asked me, "what the hell was going on in there?" I could only say, "you'll find out".

Amazing.

And from a 'West Coast' crowd too

I don't think we'll see music of the mind and the heart like that anymore.

What an experience to have heard that music in it's own time, unfolding before you!

[paul secor]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

I remember playing that track for a few people at random back in the day, just somebody would be hanging out, not "jazz people" or anything, just folks, and not everybody would dig it. But some of the ones that did would get up and start hollering and screaming the deeper into it that Trane & Elvin got, I mean, involuntary reactions and shit, like in church or something. My first reaction was not quite so outwardly demonstrative, but yeah, I was gripped, to put it mildly. Still am.

Ultimately, that's the kind of music I like best, the kind where "liking" it or not is not an option you have. It just takes you over. BAM. Figure it out later, if ever. Hell yeah.

When I read your post I was reminded of catching Coltrane's quartet at Shelly's Manne-Hole in L.A. around 1965. People got so lost in the music that they were emitting primal screams and shouts. Those small cocktail tables were being knocked over, glasses were breaking, it was pandemonium. It was like a vortex in the room. I have never experienced anything like that, before or since.

When I walked out after the set, a buddy of mine was waiting in line to go in for the next set. He asked me, "what the hell was going on in there?" I could only say, "you'll find out".

Amazing.

And from a 'West Coast' crowd too

I don't think we'll see music of the mind and the heart like that anymore.

What an experience to have heard that music in it's own time, unfolding before you!

Great story, Cali.

freelancer, as long as Cecil is with us, there's always the chance it can still happen.

[Steve Reynolds]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

I remember playing that track for a few people at random back in the day, just somebody would be hanging out, not "jazz people" or anything, just folks, and not everybody would dig it. But some of the ones that did would get up and start hollering and screaming the deeper into it that Trane & Elvin got, I mean, involuntary reactions and shit, like in church or something. My first reaction was not quite so outwardly demonstrative, but yeah, I was gripped, to put it mildly. Still am.

Ultimately, that's the kind of music I like best, the kind where "liking" it or not is not an option you have. It just takes you over. BAM. Figure it out later, if ever. Hell yeah.

When I read your post I was reminded of catching Coltrane's quartet at Shelly's Manne-Hole in L.A. around 1965. People got so lost in the music that they were emitting primal screams and shouts. Those small cocktail tables were being knocked over, glasses were breaking, it was pandemonium. It was like a vortex in the room. I have never experienced anything like that, before or since.

When I walked out after the set, a buddy of mine was waiting in line to go in for the next set. He asked me, "what the hell was going on in there?" I could only say, "you'll find out".

Amazing.

And from a 'West Coast' crowd too

I don't think we'll see music of the mind and the heart like that anymore.

What an experience to have heard that music in it's own time, unfolding before you!

Great story, Cali.

freelancer, as long as Cecil is with us, there's always the chance it can still happen.

It has happened to me - maybe twice:

1) Brotzmann Tentet @ Tonic ~ 2000 with Drake in the band reading charts - with all 4 saxophonists : PB, KV, Mats and Mars

two 45 minute sets had people screaming during and exhausted afterwards

2) Anderson-Jordan-Parker-Drake

Vision Fest maybe 2001?? New York jazz fans dancing in the aisles.

[Ted O'Reilly]

I wonder if the long medleys that Dave McKenna and Abullah Ibrahim would string together so artfully should be considered?

I recorded Dave one time, where he played his way across the U.S., east to west, with such as Manahattan to Shenendoah to You've Come A Long Way To St. Louis: a complete 45 minute set.

Abdullah could masterfully put together themes, too. At a Sackville session the late John Norris recorded him by saying "Play a whole (LP) side -- 18 or 19 minutes." The pianist mesmerized us with a dozen themes non-stop, clocking in at 18:28.

[Cali]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

I remember playing that track for a few people at random back in the day, just somebody would be hanging out, not "jazz people" or anything, just folks, and not everybody would dig it. But some of the ones that did would get up and start hollering and screaming the deeper into it that Trane & Elvin got, I mean, involuntary reactions and shit, like in church or something. My first reaction was not quite so outwardly demonstrative, but yeah, I was gripped, to put it mildly. Still am.

Ultimately, that's the kind of music I like best, the kind where "liking" it or not is not an option you have. It just takes you over. BAM. Figure it out later, if ever. Hell yeah.

When I read your post I was reminded of catching Coltrane's quartet at Shelly's Manne-Hole in L.A. around 1965. People got so lost in the music that they were emitting primal screams and shouts. Those small cocktail tables were being knocked over, glasses were breaking, it was pandemonium. It was like a vortex in the room. I have never experienced anything like that, before or since.

When I walked out after the set, a buddy of mine was waiting in line to go in for the next set. He asked me, "what the hell was going on in there?" I could only say, "you'll find out".

Amazing.

And from a 'West Coast' crowd too

I don't think we'll see music of the mind and the heart like that anymore.

What an experience to have heard that music in it's own time, unfolding before you!

Great story, Cali.

freelancer, as long as Cecil is with us, there's always the chance it can still happen.

Thanks. I feel very privileged to have witnessed that. It's the closest I've ever felt to a religious experience.

[paul secor]

Coltrane, Transition

Great pick. I forget how long it is, but he really makes a beautiful transition from inside to outside playing on that.

I remember playing that track for a few people at random back in the day, just somebody would be hanging out, not "jazz people" or anything, just folks, and not everybody would dig it. But some of the ones that did would get up and start hollering and screaming the deeper into it that Trane & Elvin got, I mean, involuntary reactions and shit, like in church or something. My first reaction was not quite so outwardly demonstrative, but yeah, I was gripped, to put it mildly. Still am.

Ultimately, that's the kind of music I like best, the kind where "liking" it or not is not an option you have. It just takes you over. BAM. Figure it out later, if ever. Hell yeah.

When I read your post I was reminded of catching Coltrane's quartet at Shelly's Manne-Hole in L.A. around 1965. People got so lost in the music that they were emitting primal screams and shouts. Those small cocktail tables were being knocked over, glasses were breaking, it was pandemonium. It was like a vortex in the room. I have never experienced anything like that, before or since.

When I walked out after the set, a buddy of mine was waiting in line to go in for the next set. He asked me, "what the hell was going on in there?" I could only say, "you'll find out".

Amazing.

And from a 'West Coast' crowd too

I don't think we'll see music of the mind and the heart like that anymore.

What an experience to have heard that music in it's own time, unfolding before you!

Great story, Cali.

freelancer, as long as Cecil is with us, there's always the chance it can still happen.

Thanks. I feel very privileged to have witnessed that. It's the closest I've ever felt to a religious experience.

I had the same sort of experience the first time I heard Cecil with Jimmy Lyons, Henry Grimes, and Andrew Cyrille. Though I probably got more carried away than most of the other people there. Wish I have that experience again, but at least it happened once.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

One more I'd forgotten

C'mon in - Coleman Hawkins - don't have a time on my LP but it's surely over fifteen minutes.

MG

Great track, but it's 13:19. How about "Marchin' Along" (17:40) from Tiny Grimes and Hawkins' "Blues Groove"? Never let it be said that Bean couldn't play the blues -- at least eventually.

In case Grimes is not to your taste, Hawkins' epic solo begins at the 8:26 mark and lasts roughly 5:40.

Mentioned in my original list of favourites.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

My choice breaks the time rules (I'm a feeble senior citizen so give me a break) but it is a kick ass recording of some length - Dishwater (10:38) from

Perfect title, too.

Agreed - Dishwater is amazing, great playing from Kelly, Root and Grey, astonishing Lee Morgan.

Always wondered about that album. Good to know it's well supported. Will have a look for it sometime.

MG

Grant Green, Blues in Maude's Flat (2 seconds shy of the mark, but I don't care! )

Lionel Hampton Quintet, Flying Home (17+, the version with Buddy DeFranco)

No time on my copy of the Hamp, but I'll take your word for it

Forgot about Maude

MG